Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel History
Temple Beth Israel was built in 1895 by early German-Jewish immigrants. The Temple was originally located in downtown Boise, at State and 11th Streets. The architecture is a combination of the style of Rundbogenstil, a nineteenth century revival style commonly linked with German diaspora, and Moorish Revival. Moses Alexander, the nation's first practicing Jewish Governor, was a founder of Temple Beth Israel.
Ahavath Israel was also built in downtown Boise, but at Bannock at 27th Streets, by Polish immigrants and their descendants who arrived after World War II.
The two congregations merged in 1986 to create the current congregation, Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel. In 2003, the synagogue was relocated to its current location on the Boise Bench on Latah Street. Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism.
Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel is the oldest synagogue in continuous use west of the Mississippi River.
